Choices: Patriot Perspectives

It's probably a relatively new phenomena that people are actually thinking about patriots and loyalists, because for a long time it was usually Patriots and red coats, right? So you were either a soldier that fought in the British Army or you were a patriot, and a huge portion of the population got ignored for a long time, because they didn't really fit the patriotic narrative established for so long.


In this episode of Revolution Revisited, host Maggie Creech unpacks the tangled question of loyalty in revolutionary Virginia, where choosing a side was rarely simple and often dangerous. Through stories of enslaved men who seized freedom, Indigenous nations navigating impossible choices, and women whose quiet resistance shaped the cause, she reveals how patriotism was anything but uniform. What emerges is a portrait of a revolution fought as much in hearts and households as on battlefields.


Inside the Episode:


As the Revolutionary War deepened, Virginians faced choices that were anything but simple. Loyalty wasn’t always a question of right or wrong. It could come down to putting food on the table, keeping family safe, or simply where you happened to live. In this episode, Maggie Creech looks at how ordinary people tried to find their footing in a world split between rebellion and allegiance, uncovering the complicated, deeply human side of America’s revolution.


Joined by Andy Talkov of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Christina Vida of The Valentine, and Dr. Ashley Spivey of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, the conversation moves beyond battlefields to focus on everyday decisions that shaped the new nation. From the loyalty oaths and lead mines of the backcountry to the experiences of enslaved and free Black Virginians, Indigenous allies, and women who kept the armies alive, each story complicates the myth of clear heroes and villains. Together, these voices illuminate how community, circumstance, and courage defined the revolution for those who lived it.


TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:00 Introduction to Revolution Revisited
• 01:16 Defining Loyalty in Revolutionary Virginia
• 02:14 Everyday Choices and Divided Communities
• 03:12 Rethinking Patriots and Loyalists
• 03:52 Loyalty Oaths and the Backcountry Divide
• 05:27 Enforcing Allegiance and the Lead Mines Plot
• 07:50 Patriots, Prisoners, and Survival Strategies
• 09:35 The Story of James Armistead Lafayette
• 10:58 Lafayette’s Spy and the Turning of Yorktown
• 12:31 Freedom, Faith, and the Fight for Equality
• 15:42 The Complex Realities of Black Patriotism
• 16:17 Indigenous Perspectives on the Revolution
• 18:24 The Pamunkey and Virginia’s Tribal Histories
• 20:50 Treaties, Neutrality, and Choosing Sides
• 22:48 The Meaning of Neutrality and Self-Determination
• 25:01 The Brafferton School and Patriot Influence
• 27:22 Indigenous Veterans of the Revolution
• 29:40 Reassessing Virginia’s Tribal Alliances
• 31:59 Women’s Invisible Labor and Camp Life
• 33:30 The Randolph Brothers: A Family Divided
• 34:34 Reflections on Loyalty and Rebellion
• 35:00 Exhibitions, Research, and Continuing the Story





RELATED CONTENT:

• Virginia Museum of History & Culture (https://virginiahistory.org/)
• Revolution Revisited Podcast (https://virginiahistory.org/learn/pod...)
• The Valentine Museum (https://thevalentine.org/)
• Pamunkey Indian Tribe (https://pamunkey.org/)
• Encyclopedia Virginia (https://encyclopediavirginia.org/)
• Virginia Humanities (https://virginiahumanities.org/)
• Andy Talkov - LinkedIn (  / andrew-talkov-ab559a10  )
• Dr. Ashley Spivey - LinkedIn (  / ashley-atkins-spivey-374a6566  )